Iqbal Roshd, '83

Alumni

Program Info

Undecided

Bio

Meet Iqbal "Iggy" Roshd '83

General Studies Graduate

Owner of More Than 10 Tim Horton's Stores in Canada Got His Start at Siena Heights

"It was my lifelong goal to go to the U.S. and attend an educational institution there. As I was getting ready to go to college/university in the mid-1970s, I started to write to admissions offices in different colleges and universities in the U.S.

I wrote to about 31 different directors of admissions in different colleges and universities in the United States as I was looking for scholarships and grants to help me pursue my education there. I received seven positive responses.

Siena Heights University offered me a partial scholarship with a letter from then Director of Admissions, the late Sister Anne Marie Brown, along with a letter from the President, Dr. Louis Vaccaro. I was thoroughly impressed by these gestures and my parents were very impressed and encouraged by this also.

As our family lived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, attending Siena Heights University was a convenient choice. We decided it would be best for me to begin Siena Heights in the fall of 1979. Little did I know my life would never be the same again.

As I reached the Siena Heights campus, I knew I was home, and it has been my second home ever since. It is the most caring community, positive environment and was the perfect place to grow and expand my mind, heart and soul.

From day one I started to get involved in campus activities. I won my first student senate election and became sophomore senator and continued to participate and won every election. I sat on the college finance committee and four other committees throughout my undergraduate years.

In my junior year I was selected as a Resident Assistant. “nu/kappa” hall and “the beautiful losers” were my direct responsibilities. I continued my responsibilities as student senate member and as RA throughout my undergraduate years.

When I left Siena, it was time to find a meaningful career where I could flourish and advance. My teacher, guidance counselor and academic adviser at Siena, Bill Blackerby, always told me I should be where I could deal with and interact with a lot of people. He would always remind me I am a people person and I should be gainfully employed in retail or in human resources.

In November 1985, I joined Wendy’s of Canada as a management trainee. A few months down the line, I was promoted to restaurant general manager and oversaw Canada’s largest Wendy’s restaurants. During this time I was awarded the best customer service manager and the best food cost manager.

By October of 1988, I was brought over to the highway division to manage Wendy’s, Tim Horton’s, Baskin Robins and the vending division. By summer 1995, I started the process to my first Tim Horton’s store by December . By September 1998 my wife and I had opened our fourth store, grossing more than $3 million in business and with more than 100 staff members.

In July 2007, we opened our 10th store, and we were adding more management, more staff and fine tuning every aspects of our operation. Currently our stores generate more than $10 million in revenue, with a payroll of more than $3 million and close to 300 staff and management.

I have been very fortunate in my personal life and in business. The good Lord has been kind to me, and people have lent me a hand when I needed one. Siena Heights University also made a major impact on my life and my success."